Bush presidency, robert gates offers unique perspectives on the soviet unions demise, the gulf war, removing noriega from power in panama, the impact of the cold wars end on eastern europe and latin america, and the political crisis in the philippines. Early leaks of former defense secretary robert gates highly anticipated memoir have yielded a slew of insider tidbits about the personalities and. However, the reader senses that gates felt personally compelled to write it almost as if it. Memoirs of a secretary at war is a valuable work by a unique public figure. Memoirs of a secretary at war, will help analysts with the task of understanding the internal factors that affect us security policies. Now secretary gates speaks for himself in his first television interview about his book.
Gates believed that he had left washington politics behind for goodbut when he received the call from the white house in 2006 to help a nation mired in two wars, he answered what he felt was the call of duty. Gates drew a lot of heat for publishing his memoir while president obama was still in of. Bush and as secretary of defense 200611 in the administrations of presidents george w. Jan 08, 2014 exdefense secretary robert gates new memoir has eyeopening revelations in addition to the afghanistan debate. Robert michael gates born september 25, 1943 is an american statesman, scholar, intelligence analyst, and university president who served as the 22nd united states secretary of defense from 2006 to 2011. Bob gatess mean, misguided memoir january 22, 2014 like many washington memoirs, former defense secretary robert gatess duty seeks to settle scores and spin a legacy. The simple reason is that i wrote a biography of a senior pentagon official that gates fired in 2008 see circle of service. Robert gates has been an extraordinarily distinguished public servant. Gates gives us a forthright, impassioned, sometimes conflicted account of his four and a half years as defense secretary in his fascinating new memoir duty, a book that is highly revealing about decision making in both the obama and bush white houseshis writing is informed not only by a keen sense of historical context, but also by. Bush administration 20062009, the obama administration 20092011, the afghan war, and the iraq war. Bush and barack obama gates studied european history at the college of william. Robert gates to publish with knopf former secretary of defense signs twobook deal for memoir and book on leadership new york, july 19, 2011 robert gates, united states secretary of defense from 2006 to 2011, will publish two books with alfred a.
Unfortunately, woodwards account of the book is as flawed and overly simplified as, er. Washington has been abuzz this past week over the new memoir by former secretary of defense robert gates. Robert gates memoir shocks washington former defense secretary robert gates is the first to offer a scathing critique of president obama and. He also served as an officer in the united states air force and worked for the central intelligence agency before being appointed director of the agency by president george h. Memoirs of a secretary at war, is set for publication on jan. Five things you need to know about robert gates memoir bbc. In frank and poignant vignettes, gates conveys the human cost of war, and his admiration for those brave enough to undertake it when necessary.
After serving six presidents in both the cia and the national security council, robert m. Former secretary of defense robert gates serves up several devastating accounts and assessments of the obama administration in a. In his memoir duty, the former defense secretary robert m. From the former secretary of defense, a strikingly candid, vividly written account of his experience serving presidents george w. Gates offers the ultimate insiders look at how leaders can transform large organizations and companies. Gates provides revelations about major decisions made from late 2006 to 2011. Department of defense officials and employees biography. The president deeply appreciates bob gates service as secretary of defense, and his lifetime of. I n a town blighted by partisan rancour, robert gatess memoir of his time as secretary of defence under both george w bush and barack obama has largely been read as a. Jan 07, 2014 robert gates s memoir is all set to be released and the washington posts bob woodward got himself a copy. Politico playbook, presented by business roundtable robert gates memoir, duty, out in jan. Jan 19, 2014 in his memoir duty, the former defense secretary robert m. The quiet fury of robert gates bush and obamas secretary of defense had to wage war in iraq, afghanistanand todays washington. Across the realms of civic and private enterprise alike, bureaucracies vitally.
Memoirs of a secretary at war paperback may 12, 2015. Memoirs of a secretary at war is a nonfiction book written by robert m. Unlike the new york times and the washington post, which received room service on the delivery of the controversial memoir of secretary of defense robert m. A recipient of the presidential medal of freedom, he has worked for eight presidents, serving as defense secretary under both. I n a town blighted by partisan rancour, robert gates s memoir of his time as secretary of defence under both george w bush and barack obama has largely been read as a political morality play. Gatess new memoir is the first describing the obama administrations policy deliberations written from inside the cabinet. With three different positions in intelligence and national security during the george h. Bush but was retained for service by president barack obama.
Jan 12, 2014 washington has been abuzz this past week over the new memoir by former secretary of defense robert gates. With iraq in a profound downward spiral and many believing that afghanistan could be next, the legacy of robert m. Memoirs of a secretary at war by robert m gates pdf, epub ebook d0wnl0ad. In spite of the thickness of the book it was quite easy to finish. This memoir is subtitled memoirs of a secretary at war and gates brings home the fact that it was not only the american public who did not seem to think or act as though we were engaged in war two wars. Five things you need to know about robert gates memoir. Robert gates memoirs criticism of obama is not what bob. Duty tells a powerful and deeply personal story that allows us an unprecedented look at two administrations and the wars that have defined them. Jan 12, 2014 lawmakers on both sides of the aisle questioned the decision by former defense secretary robert gates to publish a behindthescenes memoir that is highly critical of the obama administration. Robert gatess memoir is all set to be released and the washington posts bob woodward got himself a copy. Jan 09, 2014 robert gates memoir has not yet been published, but it is already creating a global controversy.
Robert gates has a doctorate in russian and soviet. I think that robert gates is a very good storyteller and is also able to describe complex questions in a very interesting and amusing way. Jan 07, 2014 robert gates memoir comes out next week. Knopf while his rivals at the white house, the state department and the pentagon loudly staked out their positions, gates held back. Robert gatess blameshifting memoir january 10, 2014 a core myth about robert gates was that he was an adult who would bring wisdom and order to the administrations of george w. Gates, i will have to wait for amazon to deliver my copy next week. Written by a former director of the cia, this is the story of americas and the agencys role in the collapse of communism in the soviet union and eastern europe. Feb 02, 2014 i n a town blighted by partisan rancour, robert gates s memoir of his time as secretary of defence under both george w bush and barack obama has largely been read as a political morality play. Gates began his career serving as an officer in the united states air force but. Across the realms of civic and private enterprise alike, bureaucracies vitally impact our security. Exdefense secretary robert gates new memoir has eyeopening revelations in addition to the afghanistan debate. The time period is from 2006 to 2011, and includes the george w. Robert gates narcissistic notions of duty huffpost.
Robert gates new book is starting to leak out, and it may give president obama and his aides some heartburn. As i look back, there is a parallel theme to my years at war. In the meantime, since i have know bob gates for nearly fifty years, working with him for more than a decade. Sunstein robert gates memoir raises ethical questions. Gates was a truly historic secretary of defenseprecisely because. Robert gates to publish with knopf former secretary. Memoirs of a secretary at war by former secretary of defense robert m.
This, his second memoir, covers the period he served as secretary of defense in the george w. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle questioned the decision by former defense secretary robert gates to publish a behindthescenes memoir. Drawing on his access to classified information and toplevel involvement in policy decisions, gates lays bare the hidden wars and operations the united states waged. Bush administration 20062009, the obama administration 20092011, the afghan war, and the iraq war narrated in first person point of view, this. Bush and barack obama administrations during 20062011. By that i mean the love there is no other word for it i came to feel for the troops, a. A compelling memoir and a serious historya fascinating, briskly honest account of a journey through the cutthroat corridors of washington and world politics, with shrewd, sometimes eyepopping observations along the way about the nature of war and the limits of power.
In a new memoir, former defense secretary robert gates unleashes harsh judgments about president obamas leadership and his commitment to the afghanistan war, writing that by early 2010 he had. The place to start is gates recently published book, duty. Some readers will approach this volume with a great deal of. On his last day in office, president barack obama awarded him the presidential medal of freedom, americas highest civilian honor. Jan 08, 2014 early leaks of former defense secretary robert gates highly anticipated memoir have yielded a slew of insider tidbits about the personalities and behindthescenes struggles of presidents bush. Gates served as secretary of defense from 2006 to 2011. Jan 08, 2014 robert gates memoir shocks washington former defense secretary robert gates is the first to offer a scathing critique of president obama and his administration from within the cabinet. Gates, who served so influentially as secretary of defense during the crucial years 20072011, deserves critical examination.
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